Allotments 4 All

Given that you, Galina and I, and many others, have happily transplanted beans for decades without this trouble, I would still suspect over-rich soil or watering before root disturbance. But good luck with biodegradable pots if you decide to try them out. I imagine they're not cheap so you could always try a few and compare results with those you simply transplant from roottrainers.

Thank you both for your comments. The  bean plants (Runner and French climbing) usually start to show yellowing leaves within a few days of being planted. Some recover and throw up fresh leaves. Others wither and die. No evidence of any pest damage.
I've grown peas and broad beans in RootTrainers for years for planting out and not really had this problem.
The recent ones I planted had good root systems but were not root bound. The soil is in a raised bed enriched with  good quality compost.
Looked up something about transplant problems with beans and research apparently suggests it's to do with damage to special root hairs that link in with the Nitrogen fixing bacteria many legumes have.

I agree with JanG.  My usual problem is that slugs love newly planted out French beans.  But you see their tell tale slimy trails.  A cut off plastic bottle on top, until the plant is big enough to withstand slugs fixes that.  Another predator are voles, who nip off the stems of more mature plants even.  If you only have so few surviving, I would suggest frost (which is not the culprit you say), slugs or voles. Could also be chickens who nibble at plants, if you have those.  I guess netting helps against chickens. 

I'm surprised that you have such problems when planting out beans from roottrainers. I have grown them this way for many years, more recently in Containerwise deep cells but much the same thing.

I'm wondering whether the problem is something other than root disturbance. How far advanced are the beans when you plant them out? Have they been in their cells for too long and formed too congested a root system?
Or could you be over-watering? Yellowing leaves sometimes suggest over-watering and, although runner beans like a lot of water, French beans don't like to be too saturated.
Or too rich a soil? I've discovered over the years that French beans don't need a heavily enriched soil and think I might have lost some due to too much manure in the soil.

Sorry, I have no experience of using biodegradable pots but do feel that they shouldn't be necessary and that the problem is more likely to lie elsewhere.

Over the last few years I've struggling getting runner and climbing French beans to survive when planting out. Often only half of them survive and the others clearly have a setback with yellowing leaves. I usually grow them in RootTrainers to avoid root disturbance as I know they don't like it and am careful about planting them out well after the risk of frost in my area and always water them well after planting.
I've tried many times sowing them direct in good quality soil in raised beds but they never come up (?pests) even though the soil temperature is OK.
I am thinking of trying sowing them in a biodegradable pot then planting this in the soil but looking at the time for some of the products they are made of to degrade they degrade fairly slowly i.e. in a period of months. I would want the roots to spread out of the pot in a period of weeks not months otherwise growth would be restricted.
Anyone had any experience of using these for beans (or peas) or any other suggestions.

I'm sorry you didn't have more success either Ruud's older seeds, Garrett. But it's great to have your list of hopefuls for the seed circle.

I haven't got a list yet but, like you, hoping to contribute a pepper or two. I grow peppers in soil in my polytunnel and then the only way to be sure of true seed is to bag flowers. But early on, while they're still growing in pots, I've been able to put a couple of varieties, just before the flowers open, on window sills in separate rooms. One of these is Champion (CAP 334). I had 2019 seed from the South Lincs Chilli Boys who had just disbanded. This was the last seed and two germinated. It's an interestingly bell shaped mild pepper and I'm hoping that the developing fruit I now have will produce enough good seed to share. The photo is of an unripe pepper from last time I grew it

 

I also have bad news about the old seeds. I set everything I received to chit in damp kitchen roll in the propagator, but I didn't have any luck. Nothing showed signs of germination and eventually all rotted. Sorry I didn't get any results.

On the positive, I have a provisional list for this year:

Sweet pepper Lipstick
Tomato De Barao Black
Tomato India Stripe
Tomato Yellow Clementine
Dwarf tomato Whippersnapper
Dwarf tomato Velvet Night
Dwarf french bean Deuil Fin Précoce

I'm sure there will be other things, but these are the ones I'm most confident are growing well and will provide sufficient seed for sharing. There are other edibles I'll add if they're successful, plus some flowers.

It has been a challenging year so far with the weather, but at least everything is planted out now and growing on.

Unfortunately none of the c maxima older seeds made it here, which is a pity.  But thank you for the try Ruud. 

Ruud, you asked a little while ago about how any seed circle members got on with your the older seeds you sent. I ended up with quite a lot as I had a go with any that were left when other members had had the ones they wanted. So these are the ones which have successfully germinated for me.

Pepper - Explosive Ember
Tomato - Ince Kabuk
Bean - Blue Victor
Melon - Dino                                                                               
Squash - Butterkin, Muskaat, Jack-Be-Little, Gelber Englischer Custard, Strie Melange

I started all the seeds I had on damp kitchen paper in a plastic box in a warm place, and inspected them everyday to see what had germinated. The squash were the ones with the greatest success, the last two being pattypan type, but any seed springing into life is a happy thing!

Thank you for sending these and for caring enough to want to save them.

not used but just been recommended this one which seams good https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/seedstosuit.co.uk